OpenEI Apps now live!

An App is defined as a small, specialized application or tool downloaded onto mobile devices, or used on tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. Apps have not always invoked the idea of such a specialized function, but the way we now consume information has led to a shift in the definition.

In line with the growing demand for apps, OpenEI's main mission is to bring information related to energy to everyone, and that now includes a large collection of energy apps.

On OpenEI's mainpage, you can look up at the top left banner and see the "apps" tab. Once there, you'll be able to freely use 47 different energy apps that have been

developed specifically for people interested in making decisions using newly available energy information.

For instance, if you are someone who has an alternative fuel vehicle, the Alternative Fueling Station Locator can help you map the route that incorporates your fueling needs. Interested in having your own wind or solar energy system? Use the In My Back Yard (IMBY) app to estimate the potential of your installation.

Utility companies are also becoming aware of the need for energy apps for their customers. The "Green Button" program, featured on OpenEI's mainpage, allows energy customers to get much more detailed information on their personal energy data. The program also allows developers and third parties to develop apps using this energy data for those that are willing to share the information. OpenEI has two Green Button apps; the Energy Insight and Simple Energy app.

Apps in the form of specialized programs that deliver information and data through a friendly interface are becoming more and more important. OpenEI Apps will continue to add these programs related to energy as they become available, so stay tuned, and feel free to give us feedback on the apps you'd like to see.

Linked Open Data: The Essentials

If you've been following the OpenEI blog for any length of time, you've certainly seen us refer to Linked Open Data. OpenEI is alive today largely thanks to LOD helping populate and manage many areas of our site from across the web.

As one small part of the huge movement in knowledge sharing, OpenEI is proud to be linked to the release of "Linked Open Data: The Essential", authored by Florian Bauer (REEEP) and Martin Kaltenbock (Semantic Web Company), with contributions from others, including Jon Weers, a lead programmer at OpenEI.

The book is a guide intended to help people understand what LOD is, the power it holds, how we should publish and consume LOD, and some examples of LOD in practice. The OpenEI example shows how our definition pages benefit from LOD coming from multiple places on the web to display and manage content.

"In the case of OpenEI Definitions, this is achieved using a semantic property called foaf:page. Because OpenEI, DBPedia, and reegle all refer to the same Wikipedia article as a page discussing the same topic, OpenEI is able to automatically generate the SPARQL necessary to fetch definitions from each of the other sites. In short, by semantically linking the OpenEI definition to a central concept (the Wikipedia page), the developers gain easy access to all other information linked to that same concept." (Linked Open Data: The Essentials, pg. 47)

The book is a great guide intended for an audience of decision makers who are trying to get up to speed quickly with the LOD concept, and who are trying to push their organization into the movement. Anyone with an interest in the concept of LOD should use this guide to familiarize themselves with the growing LOD movement.

To download, click here

Energy Expenditure vs. Energy Use

How much energy are we using? And what are the costs? Its a hot topic today, as companies market energy efficient products and the nation's energy grid undergoes a make over. Its important for people to know what the current trends are, and what if their options are cost-effective.


To help with that, the Department of Energy has created several maps that will help you see the data today on energy use by state and personal energy use.

Check out these maps:

State Energy Expenditure

Energy Consumption/person

Hydropower in the United States

Hydropower is an important energy source in the United States, and has remained a relatively steady source of energy over the past several decades. But how well do you understand the landscape of hydropower in the United States?

EIA's energy in brief is an in-depth analysis of the role of hydropower in the United States. Some important highlights of the resource are:

- Hydropower is the largest renewable electricity source in the United States

- The Pacific Northwest far exceeds the rest of the country in output of hydroelectricity. The Grand Coulee dam in Washington is the largest power plant in the United States, and 5th largest in the world with a net summer capacity of 7,079 megawatts

- The nation's 25 oldest operating power plants are all hydroelectric, with the oldest beginning in 1891.

Check out EIA's Energy brief: What is the role of hydropower in the United States in full.

Recent Worldwide growth in Smart Grid

Within in the past week, several initiatives across the globe showed that the momentum behind smart grid is real. Just this past week, projects including energy efficiency, wireless sensor technology, power plant automation systems, and load control have sprung up.

Here's a look at the recent activities:

Brazil:

IntelliSAW, a provider of wireless sensor systems for smart grid applications, established an exclusive distribution agreement with Brazilian electricity industry systems and service provider Adperc. This agreement will provide Adperc the services it needs to grow and move into the smart grid market.

United States:

Siemens Instrumentation, Controls and Electrical North American group was awarded three first-time projects in the United States. This will give the group an opportunity to showcase its distributed control system and machine monitoring and protection systems devices. The Power Generation Company of Trinidad and Tobago also selected the distributed control system device for upgrade the reliability and availability of their turbine units through integration of two platforms.

For Full Article, go to smartgridnews.com

Ford to introduce alternative fuel options in 2012

Ford Motor Company plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in its vehicles 30% by 2020 in the United States and Europe. In order to accomplish this, the company plans to introduce a variety of fuel options for its 2012 vehicle fleet.

The options will include flex fuel, biodiesel, compressed natural gas, liquid propane gas, hybrid and battery electric powertrains direct from Ford or from certified partners, and will be available on all of Ford's commercial vehicle fleet.

Full article at Ecoseed

Warren Buffet backing Solar

Image via WikipediaWhen people hear the name Warren Buffett, they typically think of investment success. Mr Buffett, despite making billions in investments, recently made his first solar investment by purchasing First Solar's Topaz farm being built in San Luis Obispo County, California.

The acquisition, made through Mr. Buffett's MidAmerican Energy Holdings company, was announced yesterday. The investment will pave the way for increased investment in the solar sector, and comes as a relief to First Solar who has failed to receive a federal loan guarantee for the project over the past 2 years.

While the investment is Mr. Buffett's first solar purchase, MidAmerican Energy Holdings has been quite active in wind. Currently, MidAmerican is billed as the United States' top utility company when it comes to wind. The company expects to receive 26% of its power from wind by the end of the year.

MidAmerican's Topaz farm, when completed, will be a 550-megawatt power plant operated and maintained by the Arizona-based company for MidAmerican. Pacific Gas and Electric Company will purchase the electricity from Topaz under a 25-year power purchase agreement. The solar farms' output is enough to power 160,000 homes. It remains to be seen if the purchase will benefit both Mr. Buffett and the solar sector as a whole.

Full article at Ecoseed